Spicy black beans with eggplant and baby spinach

You can eat the spicy black beans with eggplant and baby spinach as a stew or with rice, for example.

Nutrient profile: According to GDA guidelines, one portion of this dish covers several times the average daily requirement of vitamin K and folic acid. It also covers 80% of the daily requirement of all essential amino acids, with the exception of methionine. Some of the heat-sensitive ingredients are lost during the cooking process, which slightly reduces the amount per portion. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is 2:1, well below the maximum recommended ratio of 5:1. You can find more information on the subject at the following link: Vegans often eat unhealthily. Avoidable nutritional errors.

Black beans: Like other beans, black beans belong to the legume family and are particularly popular in Mexican cuisine. The beans are narrow, round and have a shiny, black shell. The slightly sweet-tasting beans are very aromatic and contain lots of carbohydrates, fiber and protein. Unlike kidney beans, they are not as soft and therefore require longer cooking times. After cooking, however, the white flesh is soft and has a floury consistency.

Eggplant: Eggplant is a subtropical plant species of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). There are different types that differ in shape and color. The most common varieties sold in Europe and North America are elongated and have a dark purple color. The raw fruit has a slightly bitter taste with a somewhat astringent quality. When cooked, however, it takes on a tender consistency and develops a rich and complex flavor.

Spinach: Spinach ( Spinacia oleracea), also known as vegetable spinach or garden spinach, is rich in carotenoids, vitamins (especially vitamin K) and minerals. Although spinach contains a lot of oxalic acid (oxalate), eating raw spinach in large quantities is not harmful to health. Baby spinach, as used in this recipe, also has less oxalic acid than the older leaves. In large quantities, consuming foods that are high in oxalic acid can interfere with iron therapy, e.g. in the context of iron deficiency anemia. This is because oxalic acid makes it difficult for iron to be absorbed in the intestine.

Vegetable broth without added salt: We have deliberately reduced the amount of salt by using this vegetable broth in order to keep the salt content as low as possible without compromising on taste. Since salt requirements vary from person to person depending on habits, it is best for you to decide for yourself.

Reduce salt and oil : We deliberately used vegetable broth without added salt (organic?) to keep the salt content as low as possible. without compromising on taste. Since salt requirements vary from person to person, it is best to decide for yourself. We have reduced the amount of oil. A good read on this topic is the book " Salt. Sugar, Fat ".

Pre-cook beans: You can pre-cook the beans and store them in the refrigerator for about 4 days. This will shorten the overall preparation time.

Vegan vegetable stock: The most efficient way to reduce salt is to use a homemade, salt-free vegetable stock. You can find our recipe at the following link: Vegan vegetable stock.